With all the media outlets buzzing with news about the Chris Benoit tragedy, wrestling fans around the world are still in shock. One of the greatest wrestlers of all time, one of wrestling's "good guys", has apparently strangled his wife on Friday, smothered his 7 year old son the next day, and then hanged himself on Sunday morning.

That Chris Benoit could do this is, to most wrestling fans, beyond belief.

To some extent, I'm sure that fans are hoping that investigations will reveal that there was a third-party, a home invader or criminal of some kind, who did the killing and framed Benoit. The fact that his wife's hands and feet were bound supports this theory... Give us anything, to make things appear "right" in the world again.

But the only revelations we're getting point more and more towards the fact that Benoit, like all of us, had a dark side. A side that he seemed to do a good job of hiding from most people.

Benoit's wife of three years filed for divorce and an order of protection in May 2003. In the divorce petition, Nancy Benoit alleged that Chris Benoit, "lost his temper and threatened to strike the petitioner and cause extensive damage to the home and personal belongings of the parties, including furniture and furnishings. Petitioner is in reasonable fear for petitioner's own safety and that of the minor child." A judge issued a restraining order against Benoit and barred him from entering the family home. Nancy Benoit asked the court to dismiss the petition in August of that year. The couple later reconciled.

Like all wrestlers, he was under constant pressure from the WWE to perform. Though the WWE has introduced a "zero tolerance policy" on steroids since the death of Eddie Guerrero, (and Benoit tested negative to steroids when last tested in April) we're told that coming down off steroids can produce "hallucinations" and "murderous rage".

The latest news is that Benoit's son had 'Fragile X Syndrome' and his parents were trying to treat him while keeping his condition out of the media.

One media source reportedly was told by "a friend of the Benoit family" that "Benoit accidentally killed his wife in a domestic argument, then panicked and killed his son later so his son could be with his mother rather than grow up without a mom and knowing his father as a murderer."

Sounds like someone phoned in to Neil Mitchell's radio show the other day plugging our upcoming public show in Fawkner. We've had a lot of people calling in and asking for more details (apparently the caller didn't give too much information). For those who'd like something to do in the school holidays:

FISM 2009 is getting closer everyday, and while Beijing is preparing to stage the best World Championships of Magic ever, we're making travel starting to make travel arrangements for Aussies who are interested in travelling to FISM as a group.

Speaking of Criss Angel, here's an interesting article from Vegas about him. The reporter makes a very interesting point when he says:

"Yet, I am no magic expert. I still don't know how the magician at a childhood birthday party pulled a quarter out of my ear. But I know the quarter wasn't in my ear. It makes me irritable. I don't want the guy's secrets anymore than I want to be told the answer to Magic Bullets. But I would feel like an idiot if Penn and Teller told me offstage they were really able to catch flying bullets at will with their teeth like Supermen. I would think they were treating me like an idiot. One thing is for sure, Cirque isn't going to put Angel's life at risk each night; they are building a franchise show around him. But he is an illusionist. Yet, he refuses to admit to me that he traffics in illusions. As a result, I find Angel to a challenge to figure out how to cover."